SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
World Snooker is delighted to announce that BetVictor will be title sponsor of the Welsh Open world ranking event for the fourth consecutive year in 2016.
The BetVictor Welsh Open will run from February 15 to 21 at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff. John Higgins won the title last year against a strong field, which included the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Selby, Neil Robertson, Judd Trump and Stuart Bingham, alongside home favourites Mark Williams and Matthew Stevens.
With 12 tables in the Cardiff arena for the early stages, fans will have the chance to see many top players in a single session. The event is televised by BBC Wales with a total prize fund of £324,000.
World Snooker Chairman, Barry Hearn, said: “BetVictor sponsored the Welsh Open for the first time in 2013 and we are delighted that they have kept their support going for four consecutive years. Snooker’s global television footprint has grown dramatically in recent years, so this event will provide BetVictor with exposure to many millions of fans worldwide.
“The Welsh Open is one of our longest running ranking events, an ever-present on the calendar since 1992. The support for snooker amongst the people of Wales is fantastic and we look forward to seeing a packed arena. Moving the tournament to Cardiff last year proved to be a great success, and I’m sure it will continue to grow in the coming years.”
Charlie McCann, Head of Communications at BetVictor, added: “We are delighted to once again sponsor the Welsh Open snooker tournament next month, won so memorably by John Higgins for a record fourth time last year. The switch to Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena was a great success last year and we are very much looking forward to more of the same this year.
“Snooker’s TV exposure is a terrific vehicle for BetVictor as a global brand and it is a week that we all look forward to; it is a big year for Welsh sport with Euro 2016 and the Six Nations to come. Indeed it is 14/1 for there to be a home winner for the first time since Mark Williams won the second of his two titles back in 1999.”
